Thai Premier Calls New Election but Refuses to Step Down

Facing a storm over a tax-free windfall from the sale of his family communications company, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra asked the king to dissolve Parliament on Friday, forcing an early election.Mr. Thaksin, 56, appeared on television and blamed his opponents for creating instability. “I will not accept the opinion of the mob,” he said. A broad coalition of opponents vowed that they would forge ahead with plans to put more than 100,000 people on the streets of the capital on Sunday in a demonstration that many fear may turn violent. They said the dismissal of Parliament and the election, set for April 2, fell short of their demand that the prime minister resign.Full Story

OODA Analyst

OODA is comprised of a unique team of international experts capable of providing advanced intelligence and analysis, strategy and planning support, risk and threat management, training, decision support, crisis response, and security services to global corporations and governments.